Michael Dennis Maddox

Michael Dennis Maddox (Mike), 61, of Charlotte, North Carolina passed away on Saturday, October 14, 2023,with his family by his side. Mike was the oldest son of Florence and Jerry Maddox of Charlotte, North Carolina and one of five children. He was preceded in death by his father, Jerry Maddox. Mike is survived by his mother, Florence Maddox; sisters Deborah McCully (Bob), Angela Andrews (Rusty Morris), Susan Synek (Michael); and brother Steve Maddox (Betsy).

Mike was the proud Uncle to many nieces and nephews and remained close with a large extended family throughout the country. He was a fun and loving brother to his siblings and a devoted son to his parents.  As part of his work, Mike was an avid traveler, giving him the opportunity to visit with loved ones while on-the-road. He cherished his time spent with extended family and had a special relationship with his grandmother, Mamaw. They enjoyed cooking together, especially pecan pies, and he loved bringing her gifts and treats from his travels. One of Mike’s best  characteristics was his big personality and undeniable love for people – he could strike up a conversation with anyone. He also loved to host his siblings, nieces, and nephews at his
condo in West Palm Beach, Florida. After a hot summer day at the beach, you could always find Mike whipping up a shrimp boil or home-cooked meal (with Slap Yo’ Mama seasoning.)
During his time on the coast, he was also the owner of a beloved yellow lab, Ginger. Over the years they became inseparable and she truly was a man’s best friend. Ever since he was a kid, Mike enjoyed playing sports of all kinds and was always up for some good competition. Basketball, baseball, football, tennis, and family ping pong matches were some of his favorite pastimes. He was animated as a player and as a spectator, going from celebration to frustration within the same minute. Mike was an avid LSU fan and proudly wore purple and gold whenever he could and rarely missed watching a game. His passion for the Tigers was only rivaled by his love of the New Orleans Saints. (We know he’s still saying “Who dat?” up in heaven.)

Mike was also extremely passionate about food. Eating it, cooking it, talking about it, learning about it… He loved it all. Mike liked trying new recipes; and he particularly enjoyed
describing food, talking up the merits of certain restaurants, and recommending his favorite places. We often felt he could have given Guy Fieri a run for his money on Food Network’s
“Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” From the sauce to the seasoning to the ambiance, Mike described every meal down to the detail.

Mike’s career flourished most while working with his father at Video Memories, which provided video inventory services to homeowners throughout Florida and the U.S. This job gave him the opportunity to work for some notable sports figures, celebrities and top business leaders; and he enjoyed hearing about their unique life stories. Over the years, those experiences gave Mike the ability to discuss everything from antiques to rare paintings and the latest sports news. After a few early health issues, Mike moved back to Charlotte and began working at several auto parts retailers, where he enjoyed meeting new people and building relationships with local repair shops.  In recent years, Mike struggled with his health but had been on the path to recovery with the
help of his family. He spent his last few months in the care of Angela and Rusty in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. His family is grateful for the love, support, and fellowship shown to Michael by the community in Carteret County. As each high and low led to his eventual decline, Mike experienced the sacrificial and consistent love of family; and along the way, he discovered God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, grace, and peace.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, November 11th at 11 am at Carmel Baptist Church, Uptown Auditorium - 1145 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Matthews, NC 28105.  The family will have a visitation at 10am, preceding the service.  In lieu of flowers, the family would like to support the SECU Family House in Chapel Hill and the SECU Hospice House in Pittsboro, NC,
which both offered support to Michael and his family in his last days.   http://www.secufamilyhouse.org/donate  

Mike will be missed, but we know he is now fully healed, experiencing peace and fullness of
joy in the presence of our Savior. God has been faithful along this journey and the family is
thankful that His love endures forever.  Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Maddox family.